Cigarette-case.



A. MENDELSON.

CIGARETTE CASE.

APPLICATION FILED ocnza. 1914.

Patnted Nov. 16-

8 & m

- A TTURNEYS COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON. u. c

rinirnn @TAlES earner enrich g aAAnoNmENnnLsoN, 0F NEWJYORK, N. Y.

CIGARETTE-CASE.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nevin, i1915.

Applicationfiled October 23,1914. -""Seria11\1'o."868;212.

To (ZZZ 11c [tom it may concern Be it known that l, AARON MnNDEL'soN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of New York, borough of Brookl vn,in the countyof "Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and 1mproved CigaretteCase, of whiclrthe follow ingis a fulLclear, and-exact description;

This "invention appertains toinnprovemerits in cigarette cases orlike receptacles for holding elongated objects which, "in order to insure their best keeping antipermit their convenient withdrawal without resultant *injury, must "be held independently so as not to come in contact with 5 each other orbepermitte'dto move about when the, re ceptaclei is-"closedbut to move *in spaced relation'and'out'ofthe sections "forming the receptacle or case'w'hen the latter is open.

More particularly, the invent-ion comprehends the provisioniof an improved cigarette case, the sections or whichareliin-ged together and designed to spring to an open position 'or'be opened byhand upon the release of aspring catch provided to "hold the sections in tlosedrelation; thecigar'ettes in the present instance being mounted in in dependent "tubular 'holders pivotally supported upon a pivot diagonally arranged acrossthe 'hinged ends of the sections and connectedto opposed sectionsso as to'operate as a springtending to normally spread the sections apart, 'while the hol'deis areso mounted as to'cause "them 'to "assume a fanlike tortuous condition, crossing each other in divergent relation so that the'cig'arettes held therein are similarlydisposed.

Withtheabove and other objects inview, the'invention resides more 'particiilarly in the peculiar combination and arrangement of parts to be hereina'fte1""n1ore fulljv-described, illustrated and claimed, it being also an'object to provide a"de'vice Which is simple in construction, durable and efit cient.

Reference is to behad" to the accompanying drawingsiforming apart or this specification, in which simil'ar' cha'ractersofreference indicate "corresponding 1 parts in en the viewsyandin which- Figure l is*-a-"pe1spectiveview-of"tlie improved cigarette 'ca'se in anop'en position with cigarettes mounted Kin "certain 6f the holders Figs 2 is a plan view thereof with certain of the holders omitted i+ig.# 3 is a position Figet is a fragmentary detail View showing-1n perspective elevationithe manner of pivotally'n1ounting the'holders and causing them'to move into'spaced relation when the case is opened loy springing the sections thereof apart; 'F 5 1 is a detail Y perspective View of a fragmentary portionof one of the holders;an'd Fig.6 is a 'deta'il sectional view taken on the :line 66 of -Fig; 1.

its illustratedfthe improved cigarette case embodies a pairof sections10 andll preferably provided with rounding corners as shownatl? and having relatively thick but shallow rimsl8 adapted to contact when the sections are brought together edgewise to a closed position. To permit this the sections are'hi'ngedtogether as by means of a pintle 1 L engaging interacting pivot ears 1 1 5 of f the sections in such amannerasto permitthe sections to freely move on "thepintle. The S8Qi1OI1S"adjlC6nt "to the hinge connections are provided with Shoulders 16 which i are spaced apart "when the sections are closed but whichcontact with eachother'to lirnit the openingmovenients off the sections of the case lessthaniiSO to facilitate the handling thereof and subsequent closing of the' sections. 'Shoulders'l7 are also provided at the inside of the sections'to limit the movements thereof to 'cl'osed positions and-take the fja'r incident to the closing together of the sections.

"One of thesections. such as the section 11, is provided with inside corner flangeslS inwardlv of the'i'im '1'3 thereofso as'to enter the other section and thereby serve as a giiide to cause the sectionsto properly move together and the consequent locking thereof in closedposition through the instrumentality of a spring'catch '19 which "engages a shouldered notch 2O centrallv of the free edge of the opposing section and which *is held iniocki'ng engagement therewith by a flat spring strip 21 secured inside of the section 11 and *movablv operating at itsends behind retainers '22 which also form hurdles for the eXtremitv o'fthesoring' toore it displacement when the E spring is depressed as bv means 'of'abutton or-projectionfl which operates through an menin in the e'd e of the sectionll uriderthe action of the sp'rmg 'tendmg' to nor-mall-v assume"a*'rect1-- linear condition.

'Eii'telidi'ng transversely *of "the box from side to side-'0' '"the seotionsthereof;'and"preferatly estncieg diagonally frem the ineer corner of one section to the opposite corner of the other section, is a spring pivot 24, the same extending through apertured lugs near each end of the spring pivot with one lug fixed to each section. In this manner this spring pivot must be bent or twisted sl1ghtly when the sections of the case are closed so that the pivot constitutes spring means to retain the sections of the case in open position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, limited by the shoulders 16 in themanner heretofore described.

In order to hold the cigarettes orlike articles 26, a plurality of holders are provided, the same in the present instance being illus trated as tubular holders 27 of oval or elliptical cross section secured to pivot sleeves 28 loosely mounted on the spring pivot 24. As illustrated, these holders are provided with a series of longitudinal slots or openings 29 to lighten the structure and improve the design and at their extremities are headed, as shown at 30, with the alternate holders shorter than the others so that the free ends thereof will terminate beneath the beaded portions of the adjacent holders or otherwise if desired. The sleeves 28 are so constructed and mounted on the spring pivot as to cause the holders and the cigarettes or other commodities held therein to move in spaced relation when the case is opened by springing the sections apart, and in the present instance each sleeve projects beyond diametrically opposite points of its holder and such projecting ends have portions thereof cut away as shown at 31, the degree of omission or removal of the end portions of the sleeves and the relative location of these cutaway portions to the holders being such that while their end portions come closely adjacent to each other so that the reduced ends will be disposed in overlapped relation, the edge portions 32 will be slightly spaced apart as shown at 33 and arranged in a'spiral line lengthwise of the spring pivot to constitute lost motion between the sleeves of the holders so that one holder will have slight play 7 independent of the adjacent holders and will move a predetermined.distance above the edge portions of its sleeve and will engage the edge portlons of the adjacent sleeves to impart turning movement or rotation there- CIT to on the spring pivot. In this manner the holders may be caused to assume the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, with the holders spaced apart and crossing or intersecting each other partly so that the strained to translate so that the extreme ends,

-moved together in closing the case.

of said sleeves at the extremities of the spring pivot need not be reduced or formed 7 with shoulders but said sleeves or the holders thereof are anchored to the adjacent sections against movement in any suitable way so that the end holders will move with the sections when the latter are sprung aparp or or this purpose the end holders may carry angular pieces 35 which may be soldered or otherwise secured thereto adjacent to their sleeves and to extend beneath the flanged rims 13 in order to hold these endsleeves against pivotal movement or substantially so.

It will thus be seen that when the case is in a closed position and the catch is released the spring pivot 24 will immediately spread the sections apart to open the case, while one section is held in the hand, or ifthe sections are spread apart, due to the fact that the end holders are anchored thereto, the holders will be successively moved into spaced relation as the shoulders or edge portions33 of the sleeves 28 come in contact and due to the spaces between said shoulders the lost motion thus provided will permit the holders to move into spaced relation.

Furthermore, since the holders are spirally arranged on the spring pivot and the latter is diagonally disposed across the adjoining ends, of the sections, the holders will be caused to assume a fan-like or sinuous condition, although the essential fact is that the holders are disposed in spaced relation to permit the convenient withdrawal of the cigarettes or commodities held therein. Uponthe case being closed against the action of the spring pivot the lost motion provided will, after certain of the edges of the. sleeves which have been brought to-. gether in causing the holders to move in the relation specified, allow the other edges which have been thereby moved into spaced relation to come together with the holders substantially in alinement inclosed in'the opposed sections, as shown in Fig. 3.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination of a normally straight support, means for bending the support, a plurality of article holders pivotally mounted on the support, and interengaging means between theholders for supporting the same in divergent relation when the support is bent;

2. The combination of a resilient wire normally straight, means connected with the wire for imparting a bend thereto,a plurality of holders mounted to swing on the wire, means for imparting movement to the outermost holders, and interengaging means between adjacent holders to form lost motion connections whereby one holder imparts mevemeat to the next rathewirechanges from a straight condition. j

3. The combination of a container having hingeclly connected sections, a resilient support having oneen'd connected with one sect-ion andthe opposite end connected withthe other sectionand adapted to. extend across the" hinge between the sections when the latter are moved to open position, and a plurality of article containers mounted on the support and automatically thrown to the other section and adapted to extend across the hinge between the sections when the latter are moved to open position, a plurality of article containers mounted on the support and automatically thrown to diverging position as the sections of the container are moved open, and lost motion con-. nections between adjacent holders.

5. A box comprising hingedly connected sections, a wire having its opposite ends connected with the respective sections adjacent the hinge between the latter, and said wire being normally straight when the box is closed, and adapted to bend as the box opens, a plurality of article holders pivotally mounted on the wire and normally disposed parallel when the wire is straight, means connecting the outermost holders with the respective sections of the box, and lost motion connections between adjacent holders, whereby one holder in moving imparts a lost movement to an adjacent holder.

6. A cigarette case comprising hinged sections, means to hold said sections in closed position, a pivot arranged to be inclosed therein and holders having sleeve portions mounted on the pivot, said sleeve portions being independently mounted and a lost motion connection between adjacentsleeve portions, whereby as the box sections are spread apart the holders Wlll be successively actuated to move in spaced relation to adiacent holders.

7. A cigarette case comprising hinged sections, means to hold said sections in closed position, a pivot arranged to be inclosed therein, holders having sleeve portions mounted on the pivot, said sleeve portions being independently mounted and a lost motion connection between adjacent sleeve portions, whereby as the box sections are spread apart the holders will be successively actuated to move in spaced relation to adjacent holders and means to limit endwise displacement of the holders.

, 8. A cigarette case comprising hinged sections, means to hold said sections in closed position, a pivot arranged to be inclosed therein, lrol'dersfihai ing" s'leeve' portions mounted on the preteens-- sleeve portions beingindependently mounted with lost me: tion between the same, whereby as the box sections are spread, apart theholders will be successivelyactuated to move in spaced relation to a'd'ja'oentholders, said pivot extend,- ing diagonally at the hinge jointof' the sections to causethe holders to assume a tortuous ian lilrerelation and means carried by opposed sections and engaged with the end sleeves to prevent'enc'l'wis'edisplacement thereof. I

9. A cigarette case comprising a pair of sections hinged'tog ether, spring catch for holding said sections in closed position at. their freeedges, means to limit the opening and closlng movement of the sections, a'

spring pivot connected atits ends to opposed inner corners of said sections and extending across the hinge, independent tubularholders and means pivotally mounting said holders independently on the spring pivot to cause the same to successively move into spaced relation across the case when the sections are swung openupon the release of the catch.

10. A cigarette case comprising a pair of sections hinged together, a spring catch for holding said sections in closed position at their free edges, means to limit the opening and closing movement of the sections, a spring pivot connected at its ends to opposed inner corners of said sections and extending across the hinge, independent tubular holders, a sleeve carried by each holder, each sleeve having reduced end portions projecting beyond the sides of the sleeves to dispose the latter in spaced relation transversely of the case, said sleeves being loosely mounted on the spring pivot, lugs engaged with the end sleeves toretain all of said sleeves on the spring pivot, the joints of said sleeves being loosely engaged on the spring pivot with intermediate spaces constituting lost motion and means anchoring the end holders substantially against movement with respect to the opposed sections, whereby the separation of the sections will result in successive motion being imparted to the intermediate sleeves to move. the same into spaced divergent relation.

11. A cigarette case comprising two hingedly connected sections, a pivot havingone end connected with one section and theopposite end connected with the other section and extending across the hinge, and ciga rette holders having sleeves at their lower ends, the sleeves of various holders being arranged in alinement and through which the said pivot extends, whereby the holders are mounted in the case.

12. A cigarettecase comprising two hingedlv connected sections, a wire having its ends connected with the respective sections at oppositeends of the case,' and cigarette rholderand extending diametrically across the same, the sleeves of the holders being arranged in alinementand the WlleBXileIlCl V ing through the sleeves for'pivotally mounting the holders in the case, and means for V automatically throwingthe holders out of the normal plane they occupy When the case is closed for separating the adjacent upper ends of the cigarettes When the case is; opened. p V

14:. A cigarette-case comprising hingedly connected sections, a wire fastened only at 20 two subscribing Witnesses. v

AARON MENDELSON.

Witnesses JOHN EDWIN BURcH, PHILIP D. ROLL AUS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. i Washington, D. C. Y 

